Newbie, green horn, wet behind the ears. Yup and I think Im already hooked.

[JEF_with_one_F]

Newbie, green horn, wet behind the ears. Yup and I think I'm already hooked.

Hi, I am new to the sport been MDing for about 5 weeks and from Southern California with alot of parks with nice grass so I am focusing on digging propper plugs. I just bought a nice black ada shovel but I don't think I'll be using that much here in the city. Bring that to a park and start digging plugs and watch me get arrested. I think Ill stay low key till I get the hang of things. This forum is awesome with loads of info, I may not even have any questions since so much has been covered already!
Thanks for having me.

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Hello JEF,

Welcome to the forum!

The tool I use for sensitive (historical, private homes and well manicured lawns) areas is the Raptor 25 (Predatortools.com), not cheap but very useful when you are looking to dig excellent plugs and leave to trace. There are also other coin extraction techniques that leave little to no trace, just watch Youtube videos on proper digging a plug.

Regards,

Doc

 

[Enginefitter]

Welcome from NE Ohio.

Engine

 

[vpnavy]

Welcome Aboard! Take a look at Sub-Forums: California for information (i.e., clubs, etc.) directly related to your state.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Welcome Jeff -f, and Happy Hunting!!!

 

[JEF_with_one_F]

Thank you. Yes, I have watched a number of videos on how to dig a plug and some show to cut deep, straight down and make a complete cut all the way around. Then pull the plug out and use a drop cloth for pulling more dirt out. I tried this technique in my front yard and it looks like the grass in the center of the plug is dying.
Others show to dig a “U” plug leaving a third of the patch attached but poke the tool in at an angle, locate the target and fold the grass back down.
There is the probe technique which I have tried and I have little luck locating the coin this way.
There is the slice technique where you cut a line, spread the grass apart, dig the dirt out on drop cloth then pour dirt back in and join the two ends of grass back together and pound on it.
I went back to the park after a couple of days and I can see brown grass even where I made small holes. I suppose you are going to kill grass no matter what it’s just a matter of how fast it recovers.

 

[digging440yrs]

Welcome aboard

 

[DirtWarrior]

Wel-come JEF ...

 

[bootybandit]

Welcome to TNET!

 

[Sandman]

Hello Jef, In grass areas Many of us experienced ole timers use a screw driver to probe for the coin and cut no plug unless we're in the boonies. If I can't touch the coin, I leave it and move on.

 

[JEF_with_one_F]

I was impressed by this older gentleman on you tube who was able to retrieve a coin using a non-marring probe and a flat head screw driver. He would get a hit on the detector, kneel down, poke the probe into the ground until he could feel the coin, then insert the flat head underneath the coin and lift it up from under the sod line. I have been practicing this with little luck until today when I had 30 free minutes, I stopped at a park on the way home and wanted to finish a section of grass I was working on a few days ago. I only chose to retrieve solid targets with strong VDI signals and I used the probing technique. I must say that I definitely gained a level up today and was able to finally with success retrieve the coins without digging! I did not come up with anything special but I did learn a new method. Good stuff.

 

[Tnmountains]

Just make sure if you are in a old area that you do not scratch the coin. I of course have scratched many. Welcome to the forum!

 

[Mike70]

Hi Jef, When I started detecting, I always used a probe, which I made myself, I got quite good at finding the coin, then moving the probe underneath it an lift it up a little bit, then I would get my finger down the hole under the coin, and put the probe on top of the coin and lift it out. Yep, I did finish up with a dirty finger, but never made a mess. I use a Nocta pinpointer, (a 'must have') I cut a 3 sided plug, retrieve the coin and everything fits neatly into place. Have never seen any brown patches where I have been. I use a Ironclad Viking digger, bit of a beast, but does a good job and is heavy duty. Another tool I used, for coins that were deeper, was a very long nosed pair of pliers to get the coin out. Welcome to the forum, have fun.

 

[USMC Reaper]

Welcome Aboard, Jef.

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

Welcome, Jeff!

Wayne

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